U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,899,348, 6,039,195 and 6,327,770 disclose child-resistant containers and packages that include a manually deflectable release element cantilevered from the container to prevent unthreading of a closure from the container absent deflection of the release element. Although the containers and packages disclosed in the noted patents have enjoyed substantial commercial acceptance and success, improvements remain desirable. It is particularly desirable, for example, to provide for indication that the package has been opened, thereby evidencing possible tampering with the contents of the package. A general object of the present disclosure is to provide a child-resistant package of the type having a manually deflectable release element to permit unthreading of the closure from the container and including means for indicating that the package has been opened. Another general object of the present disclosure is to provide a container for such a package.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A tamper-indicating child-resistant package, in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, includes a container having a cylindrical finish with at least one external thread segment, a manually deflectable release element externally cantilevered from the finish, and a tear band frangibly connected to the finish and having an upstanding locking lug. A closure has a skirt with at least one internal thread segment for mating engagement with the external thread segment on the container finish, a first lock element on the skirt for engagement with the manually deflectable release element and second lock element on the skirt for engagement with the locking lug on the tear band. Engagement between the second lock element on the closure skirt and the locking lug on the tear band prevents unthreading of the closure from the container finish until the tear band is frangibly removed from the finish, whereupon deflection of the manually deflectable release element releases the closure for unthreading from the finish. The tear band preferably extends in a plane partway around the finish and has ends adjacent to the release element. The tear band preferably is frangibly connected to the finish by angularly spaced frangible bridges.